Chemotherapy-related Amenorrhea [ Time Frame: Baseline, end of chemotherapy then 5 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Chemotherapy-related amenorrhea as assessed by record of menses monthly during treatment. Record of menses is completed by patient throughout their time on study through chemotherapy and for 5 years.

Alternative Markers of Ovarian Failure as Assessed by Inhibin A and Inhibin B Every 6 Months Beginning in Month 6 for 2 Years and Then Annually for 3 Years [ Time Frame: Baseline, end of chemotherapy then 5 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Inhibin A & inhibin B are collected at baseline, end of chemotherapy, then every 6 months for 2 years then annually for 3 more years. Inhibin A & Inhibin B are markers of ovarian failure.

Quality of Life as Assessed by FACT-ES Monthly During Treatment, Every Very 6 Months Beginning in Month 6 for 2 Years and Then Annually for 3 Years [ Time Frame: Baseline, through chemotherapy then 5 years ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

FACT-ES (v4/4a) quality of life validated tool combines 18 item endocrine subscale (ES) with standardized breast cancer quality of life measure. Administered monthly during treatment, every very 6 months beginning in month 6 for 2 years and then annually for 3 years.

Disease-free Survival Every Very 6 Months Beginning in Month 6 for 2 Years and Then Annually for 3 Years [ Time Frame: 5 years after end of chemotherapy ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

Every 6 months for 2 years then annual for 3 more years. Patients will be seen, laboratory specimens will be drawn. Menses records will be collected and reviewed. Concomitant medications will be updated.

Preservation of Ovarian Function in Young Women Treated With (Neo) Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: A Randomized Trial Using the Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone (GnRH) Agonist (Triptorelin) During Chemotherapy

Brief Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Chemoprotective drugs, such as triptorelin, may protect normal ovarian cells from the side effects of chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying how well triptorelin works in preserving ovarian function in premenopausal women who are receiving chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer.

Detailed Description

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

Determine the protective effect of chemical ovarian suppression using triptorelin on the preservation of ovarian function in premenopausal women with early-stage operable breast cancer undergoing adjuvant or neoadjuvant systemic chemotherapy.

Secondary

Determine the rate of chemotherapy-related amenorrhea in patients treated with this drug.

Determine the value of inhibin A and B as alternative markers of premature ovarian failure in patients treated with this drug.

Determine quality of life of patients treated with this drug.

Determine disease-free and overall survival of patients treated with this drug.

Arm I: Beginning within 1-4 weeks before the start of chemotherapy, patients receive triptorelin intramuscularly once monthly for 4-6 months during neoadjuvant or adjuvant systemic chemotherapy.

Arm II: Patients receive neoadjuvant or adjuvant systemic chemotherapy only. Quality of life is assessed at baseline, monthly during treatment, every 6 months for 2 years, and then annually for 3 years.

Patients are followed every 6 months for 2 years and then annually for 3 years.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 138 patients (69 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 35 months.